Small-town market profile · South Dakota
Watertown, SD area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Watertown area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 29,562
- +4.3% since 2020
- Households
- 12,526
- Median household income
- $72,727
- Median home value
- $237,700
- Jobs located here
- 16,302
- Highest market score
- 79
- Primary care and pediatrics, #29 of 458 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Watertown area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Watertown area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 29,562 people live in the Watertown area, in 12,526 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of the Watertown area grew 4.3%, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Watertown area is $72,727 a year, 10% below the U.S. median of $80,734.
Set against the U.S., households in the Watertown area spend the most on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 123, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (60).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Watertown area are for primary care and pediatric clinics (79), tire shops (76) and bakeries and dessert shops (71). The Watertown area ranks #29 of 458 scored small-town markets for primary care and pediatric clinics.
The Watertown area is made up of one county, Codington County. For its number of households, the Watertown area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for optometrists and eye clinics (3.3 times the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (35% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Watertown area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Watertown area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primary care and pediatrics | 79 | #29 of 458 | 6 | 4.8 | $2.8M | 156 | 12 |
| Tire shops | 76 | #49 of 431 | 6 | 4.8 | $2.5M | 98 | Under 3 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 71 | #48 of 507 | 6 | 4.8 | $7.6M | 183 | 8 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 66 | #76 of 378 | 5 | 4.0 | $1.9M | 96 | Under 3 |
| Physical therapy | 66 | #83 of 400 | 5 | 4.0 | $3.3M | 139 | 6 |
| Child care and preschools | 64 | #118 of 454 | 6 | 4.8 | $723K | 72 | 3 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 62 | #135 of 529 | 10 | 8.0 | $4.6M | 123 | 8 |
| Gas stations | 61 | #154 of 536 | 18 | 14.4 | $2.1M | 89 | 23 |
| Convenience stores | 61 | #169 of 529 | 15 | 12.0 | $4.9M | 62 | 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 61 | #170 of 537 | 18 | 14.4 | $2.5M | 83 | 23 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 61 | #171 of 538 | 27 | 21.6 | $2.7M | 80 | 9 |
| Car washes and detailing | 54 | #186 of 441 | 8 | 6.4 | $1.8M | 73 | 3 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 51 | #256 of 538 | 134 | 107.0 | $340K | 92 | 61 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 49 | #275 of 538 | 71 | 56.7 | $642K | 97 | 29 |
| Pizza | 48 | #281 of 520 | 17 | 13.6 | $2.7M | 53 | 23 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 47 | #319 of 535 | 20 | 16.0 | $484K | 73 | 5 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 46 | #314 of 538 | 104 | 83.0 | $161K | 105 | 58 |
| Spas and skin care | 43 | #343 of 504 | 23 | 18.4 | $510K | 58 | Under 3 |
| Electricians | 42 | #198 of 295 | 6 | 4.8 | $5.4M | 45 | 10 |
| Property management | 41 | #123 of 180 | 5 | 4.0 | Index only | 61 | Under 3 |
| Gyms | 41 | #353 of 506 | 12 | 9.6 | $807K | 62 | 5 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 40 | #367 of 536 | 38 | 30.3 | $605K | 69 | 15 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 39 | #374 of 536 | 31 | 24.7 | $742K | 58 | 15 |
| Auto repair and car care | 39 | #390 of 538 | 82 | 65.5 | $180K | 67 | 33 |
| Auto repair shops | 38 | #397 of 538 | 53 | 42.3 | $278K | 63 | 27 |
| Hair salons | 37 | #420 of 538 | 39 | 31.1 | $301K | 70 | 10 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 37 | #424 of 538 | 70 | 55.9 | $167K | 79 | 14 |
| Roofing and gutters | 36 | #225 of 288 | 9 | 7.2 | $3.6M | 42 | Under 3 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 36 | #402 of 526 | 20 | 16.0 | $835K | 85 | 24 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 36 | #445 of 533 | 25 | 20.0 | Index only | 123 | 27 |
| Chiropractors | 35 | #337 of 426 | 16 | 12.8 | $1M | 44 | 9 |
| Real estate | 35 | #457 of 536 | 33 | 26.3 | Index only | 118 | 35 |
| Veterinarians | 34 | #316 of 398 | 8 | 6.4 | $1.2M | 45 | 6 |
| Pet businesses | 34 | #438 of 527 | 22 | 17.6 | $444K | 51 | 11 |
| Home repair trades | 34 | #444 of 526 | 29 | 23.2 | $1.1M | 46 | 26 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 33 | #328 of 400 | 17 | 13.6 | $982K | 31 | 7 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 32 | #324 of 387 | 9 | 7.2 | $1.1M | 43 | 5 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 32 | #415 of 476 | 14 | 11.2 | $2.3M | 48 | 16 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 29 | #353 of 399 | 9 | 7.2 | $1.6M | 55 | 23 |
| Insurance agencies | 27 | #455 of 537 | 32 | 25.5 | $726K | 58 | 30 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 25 | #455 of 481 | 17 | 13.6 | $855K | 51 | 35 |
| House cleaning | 24 | #134 of 142 | 7 | 5.6 | $2.1M | 32 | 12 |
| Collision repair and body shops | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.2 | $3.7M | 120 | 7 |
| Nail salons | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.2 | $2.9M | 175 | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 3.2 | $2.4M | 54 | Under 3 |
| Grocery stores | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.4 | $24.4M | 263 | 6 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 2.4 | $3.2M | 80 | 5 |
| Barbershops | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $5.9M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $902K | Too few | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | $11.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.6 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | $23M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | $14.7M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.8 | $14.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | None listed | None listed | Under 3 |
Household spending in the Watertown area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $14.7M | $1,177 | 123 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $38.2M | $3,046 | 117 |
| Food away from home | $45.6M | $3,640 | 89 |
| Groceries | $73.3M | $5,848 | 93 |
| Personal care products and services | $11.7M | $936 | 93 |
| Child care and other personal services | $4.3M | $347 | 60 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $9.7M | $773 | 79 |
| Medical and dental services | $16.7M | $1,333 | 103 |
| Pets | $9.8M | $780 | 86 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $23M | $1,835 | 89 |
| Vehicle insurance | $23.2M | $1,855 | 95 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $32.2M | $2,573 | 85 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $14.5M | $1,160 | 82 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $168.1M | $13,421 | 81 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Watertown area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 29,562+4.3% since 2020
- Households
- 12,526
- Median age
- 39.5
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 70%
- Vehicles per household
- 2.1
- Land area
- 688 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 42
- Median household income
- $72,727
- Average household income
- $90,805
- Median home value
- $237,700
- Jobs located here
- 16,302
- Daytime population
- 29,337Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Watertown area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Watertown area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Watertown area 1
- Codington County, SD28,767 people
Other markets based in South Dakota 10
- Sioux Falls, SD-MN metro area298,181 people
- Rapid City, SD metro area152,950 people
- Aberdeen, SD area41,925 people
- Brookings, SD area35,353 people
- Spearfish, SD area27,233 people
- Mitchell, SD area25,808 people
- Yankton, SD area23,414 people
- Pierre, SD area20,679 people
- Huron, SD area19,309 people
- Vermillion, SD area15,219 people
Questions
How fast is the Watertown, SD area growing?
Population estimates put the Watertown area at 29,562 people in 2025, up 4.3% since 2020, faster than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 12,526 households.
How much do households in the Watertown, SD area spend?
Households in the Watertown area spend about $168.1M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $73.3M on groceries and $45.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Watertown area runs highest on vehicle maintenance and repairs (an index of 123, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (60).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Watertown, SD area?
Of the business types scored in the Watertown area, primary care and pediatric clinics (79), tire shops (76) and bakeries and dessert shops (71) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For primary care and pediatric clinics, that ranks #29 of 458 scored small-town markets.
How does the Watertown, SD area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Watertown area is $72,727, 10% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 4.3% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $237,700, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for optometrists and eye clinics (3.3 times the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (35% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 42 of the 56 business types have a score in the Watertown area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Watertown area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in the Watertown area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Watertown area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.